2010 Recent Sightings
1st April : Farnham - Upwick Road (Herts) - 42R - Common Buzzard - Mick East : Hudshill Plantation - 42S - Barn Owl just south of woods by road. 22:40 - Mick East : Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - 41Y- 1 Chiffchaff Spellbrook to Twyford Lock - 41Z - 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Singing Bullfinch, 2 Grey Wagtail at Twyford Lock and 1 male Blackcap giving full song 50 yards South Cemetery in Cemetery Road - ??? - Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 singing Mistle Thrush, 9 Coal Tit, only 3 Goldcrest! 4 Jay (a site record for me) and 1 Green Woodpecker + all the usuals. Bishop's Stortford Green Belt - ??? - 1 Comma and a cracking combination of 1 Common Buzzard Vs 1 Herring Gull, calling anxiously at eachother while passing overhead SW Stort Park Farm East - 42Q - 6 Pied Wagtail down on the SW Lawn and first Moorhen since they were all 'foxed' mid summer 09 31st March : Level's Green - 42S - Barn Owl 21:15 - Mick East 30th March : Sacombe Wood - 32X - Common Buzzard : The Common - 42M - Common Buzzard : Upwick Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard - Mick East : Hastingwood - Swallow heading north over farmland, just south of our area, near Hastingwood, M11 jcn 7 - Mike Harris : Trimms green - 41T - Swallow, One at 13.45 across open fields.- Laurence Drummonnd 29th March : River Stort - 41Z - 2 singing male Blackcaps on River Stort between Rushy Mead NR and Spellbrook; 10 singing male Chiffchaffs also.- Colin Wills 28th March : Upwick Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard X 3 - Mick East : Trims Green - 41T / Mathams Wood - 41U - Common Buzzard x 3 - Chris Dee : Bishop's Stortford - 41Z - 4x Common Buzzards over the High School this afternoon - Mike Franklin : Bloodhound Wd - - 2 Bullfinch, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Treecreeper, 1 very vocal Nuthatch, 4 Coal Tit, 4 Common Buzzard (2L and 2 more heading NE in the distance), and 8 Marsh Tit 27th March : Farnham - Upwick Road - 42R - Common Buzzard : Homebase - 42W - 2 Willow Warblers - Mick East 26th March :St. James Way, B/S - 41Z - One Common Buzzard seen from car - Tony Moverley : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - TL41X - Common Buzzard (2), Song Thrush (1), Chiffchaff (1), Great Tit (2), Chaffinch (2), Reed Bunting (1 singing male). - Chris Swan : Stansted Airport Lagoons - 52K - Willow Warbler (singing male). - Colin Wills 25th March : All Saints Close - 42V - Sparrowhawk over the valley this morning. Dunnock nest building. David Arch : River Stort - 41Z - Chiffchaffs 6 singing male on River Stort between Rushy Mead NR and Spellbrook - Colin Wills : Thorley Park Road, B/S - 41Z - One Siskin on niger seed feeder - Tony Moverley 24th March : Thorley Wash Grange - 41Z - Firecrest singing on north edge of spellbrook on edge of main road at 0700 Hrs. : Thorley Wash 41Z and Wallbury - 41Y - 34 Cormorant over in early morning (3, 1, 1, 7, and 19 in formation North, 2 and 1 South), 7 Chiffchaff at Wallbury and North end of Wash including 5 singers. Worth mentioning I heard none before 7 o'clock today and could only hear two on Monday but still no Blackcap. : Spellbrook (west) - 41Y - 3 Chiffchaff included 2 singers on the perimeter of North Lawn that were not there yesterday also 2 more Cormorant South - Graeme J. Smith : Hudshill Plantation - 42X - Common Buzzard : Moorfield Spring - 42R - Common Buzzard X 2 : Stacey's`Gorse - 42L - Common Buzzard - Mick East : The Manor of Groves - 41S - Common Buzzard came into roost at last night at 18:30. - Mike Harris : Stansted Mountfitchet - - Yellowhammer,Chiffchaff and Common Buzzard - Mike Franklin : All Saints Close - 42V - Great Tit nest building. : BS Town Centre - 42V - Mute Swans have yet to lay and are off the nest in the day and on at night : Rushy Mead, fishing lake and River - 41Z - Coot in all three places, Nest in use on fishing lake. Little Grebe on fishing lake. : Pig Lane area - 41Z - Kingfisher : Thorley Wash - 41Z - Kestrel over fields behind Thorley Wash Grange. Skylark also there and Yellowhammer. Wrens singing in profusion all over - not often so much evidence that they are (?) the most numerous bird. Lots of Great Tit singing and calling too - David Arch. : Southern CP - 41U - Water Rail heard in reeds - Tony Moverley : Wallbury - 41Y - 1 Chiffchaff singing - Tony Moverley : Twyford Lock - 41Z - Kingfisher (one seen later at Canoe Club - possibly 2 birds) - Tony Moverley 23rd March : Birchanger Wood - 52B - One singing Chiffchaff - Mike Franklin : Thorley Park Road, B/S - 41Z - Male Reed Bunting on seed feeder in rear garden - Tony Moverley : Little Hadham North - Red Kite - Gavin Vicary 22nd March : Bishop's Stortford - - Rook, Rookery count gave the following results: 42V - Maze Green Road near B/S College 10 nests; 42Q - Hadham Road near Tesco 4 nests; 41U - Thorley Lane East near lake 7 nests.- Chris Swan : Stony and Bush Hill - 3 Common Buzzard - Mick East 21st March : Obrey Way, B/S - 41Z - One singing Chiffchaff : Mathams Wood - 41U - Two Buzzards circling high - Tony Moverley : SAL (06:55-07:35) - 52K - 1 Little Grebe (Sum Plum), 15 Mallard (7pr + odd M), 10 Teal (5pr), 2MM Tufted Duck, 16 Coot (8pr), 7 Moorhen, 2 BH Gull (N both 1st Sum's), 3 LBB Gull (E 2Ads + 1st S), 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, 1 Skylark (singing), 1 Alba Wagtail (NW calling, probable White), 2 Song Thrush (singing), c.25 Starling (E), 1M Bullfinch, 1 Linnet (N), 2 Reed Bunting (pr), 1 Yellowhammer : SLRS -(07:55-08:50) - 41W - 1 Cormorant (N), 4 Canada Goose (2pr), 9 Mallard (3pr + 3 bachelors), 12 Teal, 4 Gadwall (2pr), 4 Coot (2pr), 1F Sparrowhawk, 3 BH Gull (all 1st S), 7 Lapwing (at least 4 M's displaying), 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 GS Woodpecker, 1 Stock Dove, 4 Skylark (1M singing), 1 Meadow Pipit (heard only), 50+ Redwing, 5 Fieldfare, 5 Goldfinch, 1 Yellowhammer, : Allens Green - 41N - & Trims Greens - 41T - 1M Kestrel, 2 Prs Red legged Partridge, 15 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, Lots of Yellowhammer - Mike Harris : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41X - Stonechat, Female Stonechat perched on fence at bottom of peatbank - Andrew Sapsford : M11/A120 09:05 - 52A - Common Buzzards X 2 : A120 15:40 - Common Buzzard X 2 - Mick East 20th March : Thorley Wash (0515-0700 Hrs) - 41Z - 1 Barn Owl, 1 Grey Heron South, 1 Cormorant South, 1 Kingfisher South, 1 LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER West across river from Wallbury, singing chiffchaff from Bridge 44 between Wallbury and the Wash. : Spellbrook Railway Crossing - 41Y - 14 Siskin : Hayter Spellbrook West - 41Y - Peacock butterfly : Stort Park Farm (east) - 42Q - Little Owl - Graeme J. Smith 19th March : Stort Park Farm (east) - 42Q - Chiffchaff calling and showing well at the style between the two largest lawns - Graeme J. Smith 18th March : Thorley Wash - 41Z - Barn Owl again from 0530 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith : Twyford Lock - 41Z - 2 Canada Geese on River Stort and 1 Kingfisher over Twyford Lock - Mike Franklin 17th March : Patmore Heath - 42M - Common Buzzard, Pied Wagtail X 2 - Mick East : Sheering Mill Lock, Lower Sheering - 41X - Barn Owl hunting over marshy field to north of Sheering Mill Lock at 10pm - Andrew Sapsford 16th March : Moorfield Spring - 42R - Common Buzzard - Mick East : River Stort - 41Z - Kingfisher (2). Two Kingfishers in a riverside bush 50 metres north of Twyford Lock, one feeding the other with a small fish. - Chris Swan 15th March : Thorley Wash - 41Z - Barn Owl from 0615 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 14th March : Stort Park Farm (east) - 42Q - 5 Cormorant over SW between over 75 Black-headed and at least 29 Common Gull. 1 Coal Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 6 Linnet and 3 Bullfinch. No Little Owls seen on 12th, 13th or 14th - Graeme J. Smith : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41X - Grey Heron (1), Buzzard (1), Snipe (2), Jack Snipe (1), Stock Dove (1), L T Tit (1), Reed Bunting (2+ singing males). - Chris Swan 13th March : Moorfield Spring - 42R - Common Buzzard : Nino Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard - Mick East : Hatfield Forest - 51J - Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Woodcock, GS Woodpecker. One of each seen today in Collins Coppice. The Woodcock was flushed by one of the coppicers and flew straight towards me before veering off into dense cover.- Chris Swan : SAL - 52K - (08:00-08:40) - 1 Little Grebe, 14 Mallard (7 pairs), 6 Teal, 18 Coot, 9 Moorhen, 3 Lapwing (SE), 1 BH Gull (SW), 1 GS Woodpecker, 2 Collared Dove (NE), 2 Skylark (singing Males), 2 Song Thrush (singing Males), 2 Redwing (H), 1 Jay, 1 Chaffinch (W), 7 Bullfinch (3M,4F dropped in high from South calling), 2 Reed Bunting (singing Males) - Mike Harris 12th March : Trims Green - 41T - 5 Golden Plover feeding in fields between Morris Farm and Blounts viewed from 'double' layby, also 3 Brown Hare - Graeme J. Smith : Bishop's Stortford - 42V - Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose (2). Mute Swans appeared to be nest-building south of Causeway bridge near Lussmans cafe. Canada Geese in same area.- Chris Swan 11th March : Stony and Bush Hill - 3 Common Buzzard - Mick East 10th March : Harlow Town Centre - 41K - Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow. Black-headed Gull at cinema, Lesser Black-back over : Moorhen Pub in Harlow - 41K - Common Buzzard over : Hollingson Mead - 41L - 5 Mute Swan, inc 1 juvenile, Gadwall, Pochard and Tufted Duck, 18 Gulls - Black-headed and Lesser Black-back various extra to 100 that had already gone south and a dozen more passing over and single Great Black-backed. Two Cormorants north. : Water Meads south of Feakes Lock - 41R - 5 drake Shoveler, 2 Mute Swan otherwise only Mallard, Coot and Moorhen : SLRS - 41W - only Mallard, Coot and Moorhen : Sawbridgeworth - 41X - two Mute Swan on river - David Arch : Trims Green - 41T - 2 Grey Partridge - Graeme J. Smith 8th March : Stansted Airport Lagoons - 52K - Little Grebe 2 but just a few of Mallard, Teal, Coot and Moorhen. Sparrowhawk cruising - water being pumped but no emergency overflow and levels dropping - David Arch : Hatfield Forest - 51P - 7 Great Crested Grebe, 21 Tufted Duck, 8 Teal, 11 Gadwall, 8 Black-headed Gull, 5 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan, Marsh Tit, Coot, Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 50 Redwing - David Arch : Albury - 42M - Barn Owl on post south of village near bridge over Ash - Mick East 6th March : River Stort north of Spellbrook lock - 41Z - Barn Owl, one hunting on the Herts side of the river just past the footbridge at 18.20 hrs also Woodcock up river at tree top height.- Laurence Drummonnd : Patmore Heath - 42M - Tawny Owl calling : A120 by Football Ground - 52A - Little Owl - Mick East 5th March : Bishop's Stortford High School - 41Z - Sparrowhawk seen over the High School - the first one for ages. Birchanger Wood - 52B - 3 Nuthatches on a feeder in a garden adjoining the wood - Mike Franklin :Thorley Park Road, B/S - 41Z - a female Reed Bunting on our garden seed feeder; a first for me in over 20 years living here. Tony Moverley 4th March : 42X - Hudshill Plantation - Common Buzzard - Mick East : 41X - River Stort - Sparrowhawk, 2 at Sawbridgeworth - : 41Z - Little Grebe, 2 at sluice by overhead power lines, - : 41Z - Kingfisher at Pig Lane - : 41Z - 50 Redwing south at Rushy Mead - : 42V - 2 Mute Swans at Town Centre - David Arch 3rd March : Upwick - Farnham Road - 42R - Merlin Juv, just before Essex border - Mick East : Bollington Hall - 52D - Buzzard, 2 at Wakeling's Wood - David Arch 2nd March : Patmore Heath - 42M - Pied Wagtail X2, Common Buzzard, Spotted Woodpecker drumming : Upwick Hall - 42M - Sparrowhawk Juv - Mick East : Stansted Airport Lagoons - 52K - 1 Little Grebe, 10 Teal, 34 Mallard, Pied Wagtail - David Arch : Hatfield Forest - 51P - 8 Greylag plus 1 Whitelag, 13 Tufted Duck, 12 Teal, 12 Gadwall, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 calling - David Arch 1st March : All Saints Close - 42V - Male House Sparrow returns - David Arch : Patmore Heath - 42M - Tawny Owl pair calling + 1 other male, flew over - Mick East